The Street of Ink: 1921-1925

Full image caption

The Street of Ink. Etching. This view captures Fleet Street when it was the centre of the British news industry. The title includes a reference to printers' ink. The view looks east towards Ludgate Hill and Circus, the skyline dominated by the dome of St Paul's Cathedral. Fred Richards studied at the Royal College of Art. He had a highly successful career as a printmaker, benefiting from the booming popularity of etchings in the first quarter of the 20th century. Richards lived in London but travelled widely, gathering subjects for his prints. In 1921, he became a fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers.